Christmas Cake (again)

[horseshoes]

Now I've made my first ever Christmas cake, I'd like your advice on which sort of icing to use - Fondant or Royal. Just reading about them, I think Royal sounds more complicated. What do you think? I've bought my marzipan and icing sugar ready to do it in a few weeks time.

[murraymints]

Royal..although fondant easier !

[DTCwordfan]

Royal - it's not that hard and if you have a good palette knife and one of those icing bags and nozzles, it makes the shaping of the icing easier if you wish to decorate....

[vodkancoke]

Fondant is much easier but royal icing is lovely. It just depends what you prefer. xx

[murraymints]

you can always make lots of little snow peaks so don't have to worry about smoothness !

[woofgang]

which do you like the taste of? I loath fondant so would always choose royal.

[horseshoes]

LOL Woofgang, I hate icing and I positively LOATHE marzipan. OH and I strike a good deal though, as he loves both but HATES the cake!

[Mammar]

Ok - here's the plan. Buy a packet of fondant and a packet of marzipan and give those to the OH. You sit down with the cake, unadorned, and enjoy it with a nice lump of mature cheddar or Lincolnshire Poacher cheese. Heaven! And with the time you've saved you can treat yourself to some "me" time.

[woofgang]

so does OH like fondant or royal?

[horseshoes]

Both I think, but the cake is for ALL of us (9 people) on Christmas day. Mammar, sorry, when I say I hate icing, I just mean eating it. I'll enjoy the actual icing of the cake I'm sure. I merely wanted to know which, as a beginner, would be preferable. I'm always happy to "have a go" but thought that if the Royal icing was REALLY difficult then fondant would be the way to go. Is the gelatin and glycerine thing VERY difficult?

[woofgang]

gelatin and glycerine? this one looks easier

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/6219/rolled-buttercream-icing.aspx

or go to the supermarket and buy some!

[murraymints]

you can save all the trouble and buy it ready made just roll it out...voila !!!

[horseshoes]

That looks interesting Woof.
Murraymints - ooh no I definitely want to make it myself. I've always bought a cake, but as I've done a home made one I'd like to see the whole process through!

[woofgang]

horseshoes, i think if you want a white icing, you can do the same thing but use something like trex in it (white vegetable fat) not sure what it would do to the flavour.....

[horseshoes]

Yuk Woof - I think I'll give that a miss! LOL

[daisya]

I've done both it depends on preference. Fondant is easier to roll out and smooth on top of the cake (best to buy methinks - though I have made my own), royal icing has to have glycerine in it too so it isn't as hard as rock... Spreading it on and as someone said, making peaks is ideal, like a snow scene and just add some bought decorations to make it even easier. Hope you tell us which you choose.

[woofgang]

I dont put glycerine in my royal, but i do whisk the whites well so it has an aerated texture instead of a cementy one.

[Kiki-frog]

Don't like Christmas cake personally. Far too rich for me. I do a chocolate yule log instead. Nigella's got a good recipe.

Good luck with your cake though, horseshoes, hope it goes well.

[daisya]

woofgang...yes that's how I do mine but also lemon juice and a titch of glycerine so it doesn't set rock hard. I recall doing one without some years ago and poor ancient dad couldn't even cut it let alone eat the royal icing LOL...didn't make that mistook again <smile>

[DTCwordfan]

Make sure you don't put nitro-glycerine in, horseshoes! Or you may get this.....

[horseshoes]

Ha ha - that would liven things up!

When I've decided which to use, I'll take a photo and show you, even if it ends up like a pig's ear! Thanks all for your replies.